Renting and installing a lawn

[Satori]

We've been here almost 2 years and still haven't done anything with our back yard which is just dirt which turns into mucky clay when wet and I want to actually be able to enjoy it this summer. I want to plant grass which I know will cause the water bill to spike. Water is included in the rent and I know the neighbors next to us installed sod and we ended up getting a full inspection for water leaks when the owner got an $800 water bill on 4 units this month. I'm sure its due to the sod but I don't know what the usual bill is but they said that was huge compared to usual.

Anyway, I know I should ask but lets say I don't and just plant the lawn. My lease ends in 3 months but based on what the unit next to me went for and how long it was empty (rental market is really bad right now) I don't see them not renewing my lease. Can they really do anything to me? The water is written into the lease and they have a long history of charging you for every little repair and they way over charge for it so I can see them finding some way of charging for installing the lawn but darn it I want a green backyard and a garden and its time to start working on it.

[newbymom05]

I would talk to the LL. I'd think a lawn would improve property values. You can get a cheap grass like bermuda that's super low-maintenance and indestructible. I'd just get some grass seed and throw it out there, see what happens. You don't want to mess with sod IMHO--that's way more expensive and a lot of work to install.

But on the other hand, lawns are a PIA. How will you mow it and who will do it? In the summer, my DH has to mow at least once a week, sometimes mow twice a week. We have a tiny yard and it still takes him all morning or --time away from the family IMO. And watering--you surely won't be installing a sprinkler system, so you'll have to be out there with a hose and sprinkler, moving it around. Then there's the weeding. If you plan on using fertilizer, an herbicide, or even an organic program like corn meal and/or molasses, you'll need a spreader. Oh, and an edger. And somewhere to store all that junk.

Maybe you could do a groundcover like frog fruit or horse herb? IME a lawn is a luxury that requires time and $$, both in starter costs and then regular upkeep. If I were you, I'd spend my time and money working on creating raised garden beds. That'll still cost you time and money, but at least you'll get something out of it!

[Satori]

Originally Posted by newbymom05

I would talk to the LL. I'd think a lawn would improve property values. You can get a cheap grass like bermuda that's super low-maintenance and indestructible. I'd just get some grass seed and throw it out there, see what happens. You don't want to mess with sod IMHO--that's way more expensive and a lot of work to install.

But on the other hand, lawns are a PIA. How will you mow it and who will do it? In the summer, my DH has to mow at least once a week, sometimes mow twice a week. We have a tiny yard and it still takes him all morning or --time away from the family IMO. And watering--you surely won't be installing a sprinkler system, so you'll have to be out there with a hose and sprinkler, moving it around. Then there's the weeding. If you plan on using fertilizer, an herbicide, or even an organic program like corn meal and/or molasses, you'll need a spreader. Oh, and an edger. And somewhere to store all that junk.

Maybe you could do a groundcover like frog fruit or horse herb? IME a lawn is a luxury that requires time and $$, both in starter costs and then regular upkeep. If I were you, I'd spend my time and money working on creating raised garden beds. That'll still cost you time and money, but at least you'll get something out of it!

I'd just throw down seed, we only have about an 18x20' space (about 400sq ft) I'd want to plant a lawn on, want the rest for the garden. I'd just borrow the neighbors mower or pay there kid $5 to take 5 minutes to mow it. Push mowers are pretty cheap too and often come up on freecycle/yardsales cheap. It wouldn't bother me to go out and water the lawn in the early morning, I'd actually find that relaxing while I drink my morning tea outside. (there's also the timer option, an oscillating sprinkler would cover the entire area) I get up at sunrise in the summer if I want to enjoy the day because it gets miserable hot. I may even shrink down the space another 70-100 sq ft to put an arbor (build myself) outside my sliding door (my room exits into the backyard) to help block the sun and have a place to sit in the shade. The entire thing shouldn't cost more then $150 total if I do all the work myself and grow everything from seeds (flowers ect). I have access to a green house which makes it a lot easier to grow the plants. Not a bad deal to have a place to escape to in the summer.

[lilyka]

ok if my tennents were willing ot buy the seed and prep the yard and do the work of planting a lawn and maintaing it I would have no beef with the water bill!! let me tell you!

Before making any changes to the property though please please check with your landlord. it is a violation of my lease to do any sort of yard work on my properties (I do not want tennents digging anywhere!) if I got sa huge water bill unexpectedly I would be pissed! and I would not be renewing their lease. thats for sure.

so, lets say you are going to go talk to your landlord...here are some things you can offer to help make it go better...

first decide if you want to do sod or seed. Sod is a PITA and takes a lot more water. it will still be a while before your kids are able to play on it but it will not be as along as grass.

if you go with sod fond what works best in your area, get specific water instructions. talk to the water company and get an estimate for the cost. find out if they warrenty the sod or whatever. you are asking your landlord to invest in this sod by proividing the water....the more information you have the more likely he is to agree.

if you go with seed find out what the cheapest easiest grass to grow is in your soil. offer to pay for all the seed and explain to him how you will go about properly planting the grass. (if you want him to invest in the water he needs to know it is not going to be wasted water), find out how much water it will need and what the most inexpensive way to water it is. what can you do to decrease watering cost (would you be willing to install water barrels to your down spouts to recycle water? do you kids play in the sprinkeler already? what other sources of recycled water do you get? how much rain do you normally get? how often will you need to water and for how long?).

I have had to reseed a portion of my yard the last several years (fortunately I no longer have those tennents) and the amount of water it took was minimal. my veggie garden took way more. I would water in the evening with the prinkler on low. no watering the sidewalk or neighbors yard!! or cars or streets....no watering in the heat of the day. I also checked the weather and did not water if it was going to rain. I put mulch over the seed to hold back heat and hold moisture in. it also protected the seed for washing away.

so do your research and have your presentation ready when you go in. if it means a lot to you you may want to offer to pay the extra water. a good way to figure it out would be to have a meter read for a couple months before you start and then a couple months after. you will get a rough estimate of how much extra water you are using. but honestly if you are willing to pay for the grass seed and such or sod then I bet he would be willing to pay for the water.

[lilyka]

also consider ground cover besides grass. My lawn has very little actually grass. but it i soft and green. it grows. it gets mowed. it keeps the soil in place. I have some borage, clover, dandilions....some various types of grass. I chuck a little seed down every year. if it gets particularly dry out I let my kids play in the sprinklers or slip and slide of baby pool but they have to reposition it every thirty minutes so it does double duty.... but yeah, check out what sort of livable weeds you could propogate for a soft foot cushion perfectly manicured lawns are highly over rated.

[Satori]

Originally Posted by lilyka

also consider ground cover besides grass. My lawn has very little actually grass. but it i soft and green. it grows. it gets mowed. it keeps the soil in place. I have some borage, clover, dandilions....some various types of grass. I chuck a little seed down every year. if it gets particularly dry out I let my kids play in the sprinklers or slip and slide of baby pool but they have to reposition it every thirty minutes so it does double duty.... but yeah, check out what sort of livable weeds you could propogate for a soft foot cushion perfectly manicured lawns are highly over rated.

IME ground cover does not stand up to kids playing on it all day, its pretty fragile stuff.

[2cutiekitties]

Where do you live? In lots of area people just let the grass get wet from rain....is that an option? I mean, after the inital soak down process...

[Satori]

Originally Posted by 2cutiekitties

Where do you live? In lots of area people just let the grass get wet from rain....is that an option? I mean, after the inital soak down process...

I think it rains maybe 3-4 times all summer if that. Its pretty dry here

[zebra15]

When I tried to do seed it didnt work, I ended up going with sod and a sprinkler system. I loved my yard and miss it dearly. The sod was $ upfront but living in the middle of the desert it was hearty and held up well. it was also pretty much 'lay and go' from day one. I also think the sprinklers were set for 5 mins a day and I didnt notice that much of an increase in my water bill.

[lilyka]

Originally Posted by Satori

IME ground cover does not stand up to kids playing on it all day, its pretty fragile stuff.

It depends on what yuou have, where you live etc. my "groundcover" fairs much better than grass here. but I have ground cover that sprang up on its own while children were rippin' around on it. But I can grow just about anything but grass here.

[34me]

We had a fire a couple years ago and where the firemen pit the burning remains of our stuff was pretty icky. Since we had nothing to loose I just bought the matting with the seed embedded in it and some of the spot seed stuff that you normally sprinkle in bald patches and used both according to the directions. Both worked well and neither required a signifigant amount of water. I just stood out there with a hose morning and night.

[AAK]

Originally Posted by zebra15

When I tried to do seed it didnt work, I ended up going with sod and a sprinkler system. I loved my yard and miss it dearly. The sod was $ upfront but living in the middle of the desert it was hearty and held up well. it was also pretty much 'lay and go' from day one. I also think the sprinklers were set for 5 mins a day and I didnt notice that much of an increase in my water bill.

We have done seed a few times now--different places. Call up a reputable gardening center and ask for a blend that does well in your area. We did a HUGE lawn for minimal cost. We laid down seed, and then covered with the mulch they recommended and kept it moist. In the earlier days (before the grass had sprouted), that meant watering frequently throughout the day, but for very short spurts--just a couple minutes. Planting now would be a great time because of moderate temps and more moist soil. And, we don't think lawn maintenance is that bad at all.

Amy

[jessemoon]

I don't have anything useful to add. I just saw the thread title and thought you had found some sort of lawn-rental service and I was trying to figure out how that would work.

[Satori]

Originally Posted by jessemoon

I don't have anything useful to add. I just saw the thread title and thought you had found some sort of lawn-rental service and I was trying to figure out how that would work.

lol, have you ever seen the movie "Fun with Dick and Jane"? When they couldn't pay the bill there lawn was repossessed by the gardner